After reading the manual, I concluded that this is the only way to do these “slash” commands (buddy, guilds, grouping, etc.). Please correct me if I am wrong.

Ok, ok, I know that the truest of computer "buffs" like the slash this and slash that commands, but if new non-MMORPG people come to the game, they will be confused and overwhelmed at first.

They don't want to have to type "/buddy invite "TheOnlyOne", every time instead of selecting a buddy and then clicking “Add Buddy” or type “/group create” instead of going to a grouping menu and clicking “Create Group”. If there were a way to incorporate the private messaging, guilds, grouping, dueling and buddy system commands into menus instead, the non-computer literate and lazy would accept this game more. I feel like I have to memorize all of these commands to be able to know what to do.

In conclusion, integrate all the “slash” commands into existing or new menu as buttons, lists, windows, etc. In addition, buttons or tabs to chat in guild, group, private messaging and sector chat instead of having to memorize and press different buttons.

This post ties into the previous post about bringing more players to the game, as I believe this will. Initially, the chat system overwhelmed me, but I had the dedication to learn the system, read the backstory, FAQ and manual, but I doubt many other people will and will flock to another MMORPG instead.

most of the commands have already gone that way...

or have you not read the game update thread?

yeah .. most stuff can be accessed via the char info dialog when you target the person you want to group/msg/pay/whatever.

I guess it'd have to be taught by the tutorial, so the topic should be implemented before the devs make the big leap. At least that's what I think.

No, Gargantula has a point. People don't want to stop and type "/obscure command #1" when they're doing something.

Things definitely need to be more point-and-click-friendly. Keep all the command-line functionality, but I'm all for making everything in the game "do-able" with buttons, lists, etc.

Combat things need to be done even MORE quickly. Besides ship motion and weapons fire, things like target switching, group inviting, etc. I know that you can write binds and things to do this, but that kind of functionality needs to be built into the game interface, I think. (Bind-writing, that is. It should be built-in. With an editor.)

Eventually.

Yea, we need a sort of right-click functionality, but obviously actually right-clicking is out of the question. Maybe there could be a shift-click? If you shift-clicked on a ship, a menu would open up with options like duel, PM, invite to group, etc... Similar menus would open up if you shift-clicked on other things like stations and cargo too.

No, drdoak007, I have not read the game update thread. I'll look for it.

I see in-game that there are buttons for sector, channel, group and guild are above the chat window.

Okay, but how do you right-click someone in a different sector? How can you use the button functionality to invite someone you don't see to your group? Or is there even a way, yet? These are genuine questions. I don't care to fish through the game interface, when many people would seem to know the answers.

As LeberMac put it, "I'm all for making everything in the game "do-able" with buttons, lists, etc.", and so am I. =D

There's nothing wrong with right-clicking, just because you Mac users like your primitive mice.... It's your own fault you need to emulate right-click with combined keystrokes, so there's no need to force Windows and Linux users to do the same.

I think I should point out that while Macs have traditionally shipped with single-button mice, the behavior of the right-click was accessible by pressing Control when clicking.

Of course, now all Mac *desktops* ship with the Mighty Mouse, which is a two-button mouse that comes in both wired and wireless versions. Also, cheap optical two-button mice are out there. Go buy one if you don't have one.

For the laptops, one can use trackpad gestures to indicate left/right clicking, scrolling, etc.

Isn't Cunjo a Mac user? I might be confusing him with someone else.

Cunjo, you seemed to have missed my fairly obvious point that right-clicking currently fires a secondary weapon. This functionality is pivotal to the game mechanics, which is why I suggested shift-clicking. Players would need to be able to bring up options for ships and objects while in-flight when right-clicking would fire a weapon. As for your little rant; any Mac user who plays VO or any other game probably already has the Mighty Mouse or some other USB multi-button mouse. Thank you for your input though.